Wintertime Blues

Yes, spring is still a couple of months away, but that's no reason for despair. Rather than succumbing to the winter blues, step outside and enjoy them.

You can start with the glorious blue berries that appear on junipers all over the country. Or look for Blue Mussels and Blue Jays in the Northeast and Silky Aster and Lyreleaf Sage in the Southwest. Some lupines there bloom bright blue as early as December.

The Little Blue Heron is another winter blue worth pursuing. It can be found along the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey to Florida, along the Gulf Coast, and throughout Florida itself. The southern part of the state, meanwhile, features tiny Cassius Blue and Ceraunus Blue butterflies and a host of amazingly blue tropical fish, including the Blue Tang, the Blue Parrotfish, and the Blue Hamlet.

Other states also boast remarkable blue fish. Bluegills, Bluefish, and Blue Suckers attract anglers in dozens of states. And there are blue reptiles to observe, too, like the cerulean-throated Blue Spiny Lizards in southern Texas, and even blue crustaceans. Ever cross paths with a Blue Crab? If not, then venture outside on a blue-skied day and find one.